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Owen: Hey Lew.
Lew:
Owen, good to say hello, and I
appreciate the interest in answering a few of
your well thought questions. I am just returned
from filming of The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre: The Origin. Had a wonderful
time, and looking forward to it being every bit
as Off the Hook, so to speak as the
previous effort. At any rate, lets visit:
Owen:
So first off why don't you tell me how you got
cast as Adam Banjo in 'The Devil's
Rejects'.
Lew:
The Casting Director for the film was Monika
Mikkelsen, she had cast me in Serving
Sara. She is a fantastic casting
director (just look at how perfect The
Devils Rejects was cast), and she
thought I would be a good fit for Rob in the role
of Adam Banjo. She put me on tape for Rob (I
think the audition is on the extra features of
the newly released DVD), and Rob liked it and
brought me in again to make sure that I was what
he was looking for. About a week later, they
called with an offer. I was thrilled because it
was a role that was so much fun to develop. I had
never done a horror film, and the opportunity to
be part of something with so much
underground cult appeal was really a
gift. I tried to model Adam Banjo after a typical
tough talking, southern redneck type, with
bravado, but also some left-thinking
sensibilities. And then of course the big
character arc, when he pulls on his
dress when the shit hits the
fan. This gave him somewhere to go when he
had to muster up the courage to go after Otis, in
a last-ditch effort to survive. I am grateful
that Rob Zombie allowed me to take Adam in a
direction that offered some more depth, and he
always encouraged us to be in the reality of the
situation that he set up. He always brought in a
vision and an organization to a scene, but in the
same sense, he would have the flexibility to let
go of something that was tried and not working,
and try something different. He himself brings
such intensity to the work; I think that he
raised the bar for our performances
with his own sense of stage presence. I have had
the privilege to work with some GREAT directors
(Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, Alejandro
Inarritu, Thomas Haden Church, Tony Scott, Robby
Henson, Michael Bay, etc.), he is definitely
among that class.
Owen: How exactly did they pull off that stunt in the
movie where you get your face peeled off by Bill
Moseley as Otis? I mean I know it was a
mask, but what other tactics were used?
Lew: Well I was going in to have a little nip
and tuck anyway... (Kidding). Wayne Toth
was the prosthetic artist who cast the face mold
at his special effects house. He is a master at
this craft, and really enjoys his work. It could
end up being pretty claustrophobic, but Wayne
takes great pains to comfort you while you are
waiting for the mold to set. The actual face
carving was done using camera angles to cheat the
point of view...I was set up on a platform, where
we could have Bill place the knife in a way that
would suggest he was making the incision in my
face. The amount of blood that Wayne had to use
was overwhelming...at some point I saw all of the
blood being pumped through my head and hair, and
I began to think, There goes my first
little league hit, there is the first kiss from a
girl, my first car. All of my life was
pouring out of me as I began to expire, sort of
like Frosty the Snowman in the
greenhouse. It was a bit poetic in some ways.
Bill (Moseley) and I spoke about the resignation
of ones life at the hands of another...It gave
Otis a little humanity. Almost honoring the death
of one of his victims. The choreographing of the
fight scene was probably more challenging than
the face removal. Kane Hodder (Jason of Friday
the 13th)
was the Stunt Coordinator. He was so experienced,
and instrumental in making the fight scene look
as gritty and real as possible. It was a long two
days out in the desert for everyone. I am really
proud of it, I think it looks great, and has the
right desperate intensity to it.
Owen: So what are the best words you can think of to
describe the 'House of 1000 Corpses'
and 'The Devil's Rejects'
director Rob Zombie?
Lew: I covered a
lot of my thoughts of Rob above, but some words
that come to mind are: Intense, Artistic, and
Intelligent. He is very grounded in who he is. He
makes things happen, and makes them happen in his
way. He holds you accountable for being
responsible, and expects you to bring something
to the party. He is confident in what will work,
and is never afraid to try. I would
say that a lot of his success as an artist is his
can-do approach. Rob Zombie knows
what he wants, and wants what he knows. I have
never worked with anybody with such a just
do it attitude. He puts Nike to shame...
Owen: I'm curious too about the feel or mood on the
set. Was there anything unique about 'The
Devil's Rejects' set as opposed to any
other film you have done?
Lew: Like I said,
I have never been exposed to the Horror genre
before, so the level of urgency or immediacy was
always somewhat present. The veterans Bill
Moseley, Sid Haig, Geoffrey Lewis, and others,
all had a great style in giving this creepy
nonchalant impending doom to their work. It
really becomes a very subversive stylization that
is amazingly interesting to watch. I tried to
pick up on that as a technique, and more than
anything just be as real with an authentic
1970s Rock-n-Roll country wild ass. Again
Rob Zombie supplied a lot of the intensity, and
the Director of Photography, Phil Parmet lent his
eye to a visual tone and sensation. I think we
all came to work with the expectation to do
better than we had the day before...and that as
actors we had to bring our best to the picture in
order to stay in the mix. It was a very
fulfilling experience all in all. The other
thing, just physically it was the biggest cast I
have ever been part of...I mean giants literally,
Matt McGrory (God rest his Soul), Diamond Dallas
Page, Sid Haig, Danny Trejo, Bill Moseley,
William Forsythe, Ken Foree, Michael
Berrymen...They looked like a football team for
fucks-sake! It was Intimidation Street
definitely. I will always be proud to be part of
this movie, based on the acting and artistic
presentation alone...horror film or not.
Owen:
Up to that point you had done dozens of
films, but you hadn't really done horror,.
It sounds like that Rob Zombie appearance has
also led to appearances in other horror
films. Tell me about doing the
prequel to 'The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre' with Jordana Brewster and R.
Lee Ermey.
Lew: It
was a great experience working again in my home
state of Texas, with a dear ole friend Lee
Ermey. I had worked with Lee in a movie called On
the Borderline years ago. He is such a pleasure
and a consummate professional. The great thing
about working with somebody like Lee is that he
cant say a line poorly; I mean he could
read the telephone book and it would sound
perfect. Andrew Bryniarski (Leatherface) is also
an amazing actor; to do what he does every time
out is a real credit. I would just want to say
that he gets you there in that mood,
FEAR...real quick He is the real deal
as he has proved and I am thrilled to have been
with him on this project, as well as the young
cast including Jordan , Diora and Cyia. Jonathon
Liebsmen, the Director has a good take on putting
this film in the proper taughtness of the
impossible and desperate survival. There are a
few surprises, and like any prequel, all will be
revealed...you know you cant win unless you
score, and you cant start unless you
begin...
Owen:
You are also starring in the upcoming
supernatural thriller 'The Visitation'.
Can you tell me a little bit about that project?
Lew:
This is a great premise, in short, it is
the second coming, beware of false prophet
and redemption story all rolled into one. A
young man (Eddie Furlong) returns to a small
dying town offering hope in the form of faith in
his worship. A faithless citizen who has lost his
wife (Martin Donovan) and a transplanted single
Mother (Kelly Lynch) have doubts about the
consequences of giving your belief to this new
hope...in the end he turns out to be The
Devils Minion as our heroes are in the
throes of trying to save the town from selling
their souls. I play a detective who is a
skeptical that it is, but curious that it could
be. Also I get to have a crush on Kelly Lynch,
which is not really acting now is it.... Robby
Henson directed, and Joe Goodman and Ralf Wynter
were the producers. It will be released
theatrically this winter by FOX. It is really
about the choices we make and the consequences
when we make them. How easily we are to give our
faith to convenience, or the possibility of a
good thing. I really like this film,
it looks very edgy, as Robby is very well thought
and forward thinking in his filmmaking. Oh, my
favorite big sister Priscilla Barnes
is also starring in it.... she is amazing as
always. I am such a huge fan of her work...how
about in Devils Rejects...she
can deliver the mail as we say. A
must see for sure.
Owen:
What other projects do you have coming up in the
future?
Lew:
I am also due out in Heavens Fall,
probably January. This is a period piece set in
the 1930s about the Scottsdale Boys.
Several Black boys were falsely accused and
convicted of raping two white girls in Alabama.
The trial was set in Alabama, and they were
defended by a Jewish attorney from New York
(played by Tim Hutton). David Strathairn plays
the Judge who overturns the verdict. I play a
southern-racist prosecuting attorney alongside my
partner (Bill Sage). It was a very challenging
piece to give this character likeability, and not
just villainize him. Terry Green directed with
such precision and delicateness. Lee Sobieski and
Azura Skye are incredible, as is BJ Britt and
Anthony Mack. What an epic piece, what an
important piece, and what a visual it is. I was
honored to be able to work with one of my
favorite actors, and now call him my friend,
David Strathairn. There is not another
compassionate, sensitive man in film today. What
a gift he is...Also working with my dear friend
Bill Sage is always a treat...And as you know
DOMINO is out. That is a whole other
interview...but to work with Tony Scott, Mickey
Rourke, Kiera Knightley, Christopher Walken, Tom
Waits, Edgar Ramirez...it was like showing up to
work with Willy Wonka being your boss. WOW.
Simply Over the Top.... I am so proud
of that film, critically it is a good movie. I am
always moved at the story that we told about this
womans life...again, it is an honor.
Owen: You've also
been making some horror convention
appearances. Aren't horror fans the
best!! We are the most loyal folks in the
world. What's the most unusual request a
fan has made of you so far?
Lew: Yes Horror
fans are so much fun...I would consider them to
be the most genuine and honest of fans as you
could ask for. They never cease to amaze me at
their knowledge, and their loyalty. I am always
impressed by how much they show up and support.
They will not tolerate betrayal -- they are like
family. One woman claimed that she was Adam
Banjos Mother, and that she needed his
underwear and socks in order to clean them. I
told her that Adam did not wear underwear, and
Otis made off with the socks. Several fans have
asked me for my face; Rob owns all of the masks,
except for the original of course. I still own
that one, or maybe Lions Gate, I am not
sure.... I think that guys like Rob and Bill and
Sid have taught me the importance of this fan
base, and how special that it is. I always look
forward to being out and amongst them, and they
are always thoughtful enough to show up at my
other premieres as well. I had as many
Devils Rejects fans at the Domino premiere
as any...I am proud to call them my gang, and
proud to be part of them. Cant wait to meet
more of them.
Owen: I know you are also a devout Christian.
Does that ever limit what you will or won't do on
screen in character, or is acting apart from
all that?
Lew:
I am a Christian, and it is the driving
force in my life. I have been quite fortunate
over the years to have received a couple of
wake-up calls and paid attention. I
try to base my day today on solid ethics, and
bring those ethics to my work. If possible, I
will incorporate that part of me into the
character, as Rob allowed me to do ever so subtly
with Adam Banjo, (praying in despair and
fear)...But I dont always try to represent
this, sometimes it is not the truth of a
particular character...sometimes it would hinder
the need of a character...it would confuse the
development of a particular type of character. We
are all flawed in different ways as human beings,
and a Christian ethic does not always support
those flaws. I tend to avoid some material that
is not suitable for my personal belief system,
but that is as much out of respect for my
Granddad as anything. When it all gets down to
it, it is all the same...and we all have to
answer for our actions at the end of the day.
Isnt that what storytelling is all about? I
have not been in a situation where I dont
feel right about doing something on screen. If
that is because my view of life keeps me out of
that scenario, then there you have it...I know
what I will do on screen, that is always an
effort to serve the character and the story...how
far, well see.
Owen:
What scares you in real life?
Lew: What really scared me was recently on the red
carpet for the Domino premiere, with my Mom as my
date, seeing her smoking a cigarette and telling
a reporter about the first time I wet the bed, or
masturbated...That is FEAR. I am afraid of human
suffering of any kind. It makes me very
uncomfortable and aware of how fragile we are. I
dont like to be exposed to violence, it
makes me feel helpless, and weak...I am fearful
of children dying, and Mothers...I am always
amazed at the human condition, the effort, but
also afraid of what a human might resort to,
including myself...you know if it all went
astray. When I am in a bad place, I am afraid of
being alone...If I am of the mind above, that
cant happen...I dont like rides, like
fast thrill rides...they dont make me
smile. Eggplant can work my nerve, and getting
caught in my dreams would be frightening...
Thanks
for your time Owen, and your ear
or
eyes
Owen: Thank you
Lew, and all the best to you. |
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